Sunday, August 13, 2006

Castle
Castells are human towers that are by tradition built during festivals in many places in Catalonia. At those festivals, several colles castelleres meet and try to build the most extraordinary towers they can.
This tradition instigated in the southern part of the Spanish state of Catalonia at the end of the XVIII century. More purposely in Valls, near the city of Tarragona. The tradition later spread to other section of Catalonia and even Mallorca, and has become very popular. However, the best and most talented castellers are still found near Tarragona.
A castell is considered a achievement when it's properly loaded and unloaded, that is, when everyone has scaled and is in place, the enxaneta (the last one) climbs up to the top, climbs one hand, and then climbs down through the other side of the castell, and then everybody else comes down safely.